162 rillNGILLID^. 



equally to the present. The Twite, however, is naturally far 

 more a bird of the open and, content with the shelter afforded 

 by long heather and the ordinary vegetation of a moorland 

 country, it commonly retires before the encroachments of 

 cultivation. But where, as in the northern and western 

 Scottish isles which it permanently inhabits, retreat is impos- 

 sible, it has of late years begun to accommodate itself to the 

 changes wrought by agriculture and the planting of trees. 

 In early spring it betakes itself to its chosen quarters, and 

 the flocks in which it has collected during winter disperse in 

 pairs over the hilly tracts. The song of the cock is pleasing, 

 and, though scarcely equal to it in compass, has much in 

 common with that of the kindred species, being often 

 delivered from an elevated perch, or while the bird is flutter- 

 ing above the spot where the nest is. This is most generally 

 placed among heather, furze or brushwood, but often on the 

 ground, under large stones, occasionally on a ledge of rock, 

 and in various other situations. Both in Shetland and in 

 the Hebrides the increasing growth of trees and shrubs has 

 latterly induced this bird to prefer them as a building-place, 

 and to that end it comes into gardens and occupies the fruit- 

 bushes, while a favourite site is beneath a long strip of turf 

 that has been turned up by the plough. The nest, which 

 seems to take a good many days in building, is neatly formed 

 of fibrous roots, twigs or stalks of plants, dry grass and 

 moss, worked up with wool, and usually lined with feathers, 

 hair or far. The eggs, five or six in number, measure from 

 •74 to '65 by from -54 to '47 in. When looked at one by 

 one they are generally quite indistinguishable from those of 

 the Linnet, but a series shews that the light red markings 

 are less frequent and the bold dark brown specks or blotches, 

 which in this species often take the form of irregular lines, 

 more numerous. 



Where, as in the Scottish isles, this bird is extremly 

 abundant, it assembles in vast flocks in winter and is accused, 

 apparently not without some show of reason, of being very 

 mischievous. It resorts to the corn-yards and undoubtedly 

 consumes, when the opportunity ofl'ers, a large quantity of 



